Apparatus for packing candy articles or the like



A ril 27, 1943. H. F. GOODW IN A 3 7, 7

APPARATUS FOR PACKING CANDY- RTICLES OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. .27, 1939 .NJW

Patented Apr. 27, 1943 UNITED APPARATUS FOR PACKHZG CANDY ARTICLES OR THE LIKE Herbert F. Goodwin, Melrose, Mass, assignor of one-half to Edgar P. Lewis & Sons, Inc., Maiden,

Mass., a corporation Application January 27, 19%, Serial No. 253,138

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for packing fragile articles, such as, for example, confectionery, and more particularly for simplifying the handling operation of those articles heretofore packed with paper separating cups 0r holders.

In filling retail packages with confectionery having chocolate or gummy surfaces, it is customary to insert each piece of confectionery into a waxed paper or other glazed sheet material cup having upturned crinkly sides before depositing it in the package so that the confectionery will be kept from injury or adhering together, and to present a more pleasing appearance. To manufacture the crinkly cups, a pile of waxed sheets are punched and drawn through a die so that, as received by the confectionery packer, they are in the form of nested stacks containing a substantial number of cups. Due to the pressure exerted in punching, the cups of a stack stick together and require careful manipulation to separate. The usual practice is to hold a stack of cups in one hand while transferring confectionery pieces from the supply container to the retail package, applying the cups one at a time to the pieces as they are transferred. Not only is this a relatively slow operation requiring a large amount of labor in every confectionery factory, but packers sometimes wet their finger tips to facilitate removal of the cups from the stack. When inserting the cupped pieces in a retail package individually, the natural springiness of the crinkled cup sides renders difficult close positioning with even pressures between the pieces in each layer until the layer is substantially completed. This difficulty is aggravated by the fact that only one hand of the packer is entirely free, the other being at least partially occupied by holding the cups.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to facilitate packing fragile or other articles requiring paper cups or other similar flexible separating holders in an individual package so that the packer will be freed from the task of separating and positioning the holders in a supply stack as received, thus rendering both hands entirely free for packing so that uniform and artistic spacing of the articles may more readily be accomplished without the likelihood of unsanitary results caused by packers wetting their fingers.

With these objects in view, an important feature of the present invention relates to packing apparatus, for candy or other similar fragile articles, having a support for a supply of candy ing both hands for locating the articles.

and a packing receiver, such as an individual package arranged adjacent the supply, of holderretaining means for ejecting automatically the stacked holders at one or more convenient stations between the supply and the receiver where the articles may be inserted and lifted together with the holders into the receiver. For convenience in using both hands, according to this feature of the invention, the retaining means is arranged to position holders at two spaced stations.

As hereinafter illustrated, the retaining means comprises an arm having a downwardly directed terminal for retaining a nest of paper holders or cups, and a wiper for separating one cup at a time and positioning it at one or more stations with the openings uppermost. A positioning device of this nature is of advantage, not only for packing operations, but also wherever it is found desirable to position paper cups or holders at suitable stations for convenient filling with materials ordinarily inserted within such cups or holders. I

The use of the invention is of advantage in saving time and labor for the packer either where each article inserted in a holder is deposited in one of two separate packages or where both articles are deposited in the same package while us- Where each article is deposited in two separate packages, the packing operation is more rapid than heretofore, whereas in depositing two articles at the same time in a single package, an additional advantage results in that both hands being free,

the general appearance of each layer of candy or other articles may be improved without the exercise of special skill or ability on the part of the packer.

These and other features of the invention including certain novel and improved constructions and arrangements of parts are herein described in the following detailed description, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation, somewhat reduced in height, of apparatus embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a View in section, taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of apparatus; Fig. l is a plan View of a separating wiper indicating its relation to holder retaining devices of Fig. 1, shown in section when the wiper is actuated in one direction; Fig. 5 is a similar view of the same parts in positions assumed when the wiper is actuated in the other direction; and Fig. 6 is a detail view, illustrating in elevation.

piles :of puitable sheet material.

' so that it may be positioned at a station convenient for the insertion of a candy article while being transferred from a supply container, commonly called a tote box, to a packing receiver such as an individual retail shipping package.

- By providing apparatus for retaining andposie tioning the cups or holders, a packer is enabled to use both hands unhampered for transferring the candy from the supply container and depositing it in the retail package. In order to separate the cups and position them in the proper timed relation to the movements of the packers hands, the apparatus preferably is controlled by foot actuated means.

I Referring more particularly to Fig. 2 of the drawing, the candy supply is supported in the container or box 2 in which the candy is received from a chocolate dipping or other manufacturing machine of known construction. The candies'in the-container 2 may be deposited in a number of layers or in a single layer in spaced relation to each-other so asto avoid the possibility of the candy articles sticking together and to render it more, easy to grasp each article separately in transferring it to the individual package. v The candycontainer rests upon an inclined base 4 secured to a bench or table top 6 at a proper level'to be conveniently accessible, the packer standing or beingseated directly in front.

, Also connected to the table top 6- in front of the supply container is a support'8 for a travellingconveyor ID on which are located a series of packing receivers or retail packages I2 each intended to hold a' specified amount of assorted candy articles. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the eonveyor beltv l moves slowly from left to right and the packer transfers one or two candies from the supplycontainer to each individual box as that box passes along the'line of conveyor movement." There 'maybe other packers who add other candiesjto jeachbox so that at'the end of the line the requisite assortment and quantity is completed. To prevent injury to the candy during shipment and to present the candy in a: more; attractive manner, it is the usual practice to insert-each candy article into a paper or other flexible cup punched and formed in stacks from Ordinarily a stack of cups isformed by asingle stroke of a press, the shape being cut out from fiat material and forced through a hole of smaller size than that provided in the cutting die to crinkle the.

sides :withia' bellows-like formation, the sides being/bent towards'a 90-degree position with relation-to the bottom portion of each cup.

When punched and formed in this way a stack of two or three dozen cups results from each.

operation of the'dieing press, the cups being nested compactly together so as to resist separationbetween the time'of dieing and their use in packing. A stack of nested cups so formed is illustrated at 14 inFig. 6; Heretofore, a packer while transferring candies from a supply containerto an individual packing receiver holds a stack of cups inione hand properly manipulating it-to separate a cup at the-proper time to insert :a' candyarticle during transfer. The cup enclosing the article is then deposited in the the desired position in the receiver.

receiver and disposed in the correct relation to those articles already in the receiver according to a predetermined design so that the layers of candy in all the packages or receivers will have the same appearance.

In order to present a pleasing and artistic appearance to the candies in the packing receiver, it is desirable first to insert the candy article accurately at the center of each cup and then to have the cup located with accuracy at Due to the crinkly sides of the cups, there is a substantial flexibility and resiliency so that if the candies are not centered properly one side of a cup may protrude above the other, giving a layer of candy in irregular appearance.

To enable the packer to employ both hands unhampered by holding a supply of cups while transferring the articles from the supply container to the individual packing box, according to the present invention, there is mounted on the table top 6 between the candy supply and the receiver, a cup retaining and positioning device comprising a reversely bent arm I6 pivotally mounted on a fixture i8 secured to the table top 6 and a wiper 20 disposed beneath the downwardly directed terminal of the arm I6. The terminal of the arm is bent at an angle and covered by a pad 22 of resilient rubber or of rigid material having the proper surface to prevent escape of the stack. The pad 22 has its lowermost surface flattened and of circular shape slightly smaller than the inside diameter at thebottom of a cup. To hold a nested stack of cups in position beneath the pad 22, the arm l6 has connected between it and the table top 6 a spring member 24 tending to force the pad against the wiper 20.

The wiper 20, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is in the'form of a flexible woven fabric strip having rubber straps 26 attached crosswise of the length of the strip. The stripris movable along the surface of the table top 6 and extends at. one end overa roll 28 secured to a shaft 30, ro-

tatable in bearings 32 on the underside ofthe table top. The straps 28, when the wiper is actuated, engage the adjacent lower corner of a cup}- sweeping it from beneath the stack as shown in Fig. 6. The width of the strap should not. be greater than the height of the cup sides, as otherwise after separating one cup it may overlap theside and engage a second cup so as to displace itfrom the stack. e

To actuate the wiper strip 20, theend treadle 34 pivotally mounted at 36 to the floor or other structure supporting the'table top 6. To retract the wiper strip after being actuated by the a and positioned at the other side of the stack.

Thus the cups are positioned conveniently side by side in a direction facing the packer.

According to the usual factory method of packing candy, each packer has aseparate supplyof candy located along the line of travel of the retail package conveyor, one kind of candy being which extends over theroll 28 is connected to a foot.

When

depositedineach box by each packen. With the use of the present apparatus,.it ispossiblefor. a single packer tohandle two kinds of candy so that two candy articles may be. depositedin each box Withouttreducing the speed with Whichthe boxes pass or unduly burdeningthe packer. To facilitate the handling of the candy in this manner, two stack retaining armsare mounted on the table top opposite each packer and the rubbing straps 26. are. so located on the wiper strip 20. that they will act simultaneously. upon the stacks beneath the retainer arms. As indicated inFig. l, therexare two supply containers, the firstof'which may, for instance, hold cream centers, indicated at 46, and the other of which may have caramels; indicated at 42. The packer may then employ both hands, grasping two of the cream centers 40, inserting them in a pair of cups located at the spaced positions 44' and 46 on thestrip 2D, as shown in Fig. -5, into which positions the cups are moved during. the actuationof the strip 2.0 by the spring 33 when the treadle is released. After inserting the cream centers in the cups at positions 44 and 46, the cups enclosing them are grasped and deposited into a pair of adjacent:

packages 48 and U.which; at the time of depositing, are' in line with a convenient path of:

movement from thesupply container holding the cream centers and the positions 44 and 45 at which the cups are located. As soon as the cream. centers have been deposited in the boxes and are then inserted in the cups at these positions,.

as indicated in Fig. 1, ready to be deposited in the individual boxes 48 and 50 beside the cream centers at points substantially in line with the natural paths of movement between the caramel supply and the packing boxes. The boxes containing the candies are then carried along the conveyor, as illustrated, to another packer who inserts still other candies.

After depositing the candies in the packing boxes, a brief adjustment of the candies may be made to center the articles correctly in the cups and to shift the positions of the cups in close correspondence with a diagram or chart, not shown, which is kept before each packer. According to the method of packing just described, substantially double the number of candies may be packed by a single packer. In some instances, it may be desirable to deposit two candies in a single box rather than in separate boxes. cases, both hands of the packer, after depositing the articles, are free to make suitable adjustments of the candy articles as to position, thus improving the quality and appearance of the completed layers.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, a support separate from the wiper strip is provided on which a pair of cups are positioned in spaced relation. The frame of the device is in the form of a sheet metal apron 56 having a central opening 58' and a strip guide 60 disposed beneath the opening. The retainer arm is similar to the arm I6 and acts to hold a stack of cups above the strip guide 6! Between the strip guide 60 and the stack is a wiper strip 62 having its ends supported by rolls 54 and 66. To actuate the wiper strip 82, one end is connected to an electromagnet 68 and the other to a spring 10, the electromagnet being energized through a foot actuat-ed switch 12. The speed at which the electro- In such magnetoperates.beingmuch greater than that of a foot: treadle, there will be a much quicker action imparted to the tape 62. so'that the cups,

after being separated from the stack will. be

throwna short distance onto the adjacent surface of the apron 56 where they will be supported in positions. with their openings uppermost. The arrangement of the parts in this'way may readily be. appliedito a positioning device for holding two stacks as .in Fig. 1 if the tape 62 is provided with two rubbing straps 26xor, if butone retaining arm is employed, a double actuation of the strip 62 will position one cup at either side of the stack, as indicated in Fig. 3. To obtain such double actuation, the switch 12 preferably is arranged to'olosezthezcircuit to the electromagnet by movement of. the foot laterally so that the switch may.

not conveniently be held closed as wouldbe likely if actuated by downward movement of the foot; Thus, the circuit to the electrom'agnet will be completed and opened during each actuation of the foot and, as a result, a cup will be positioned at either side of the stack.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed. is

1. Packing apparatus for candy articles or the lik having means for retaining a nestedstack of flexible sided cups including an arm having astack holding. terminal extending into theinnermost cup of the stack and a cup separating wiper disposed to cooperate with the terminal of the armand provided with a rubbing element-forseparatingthe cup engaging the wiper from the stack and positioning it at one side of the stack with the opening uppermost.

2. Packing apparatus for candy articles or the likehaving, means for retaining a nested stack of flexible'sided cups including a resilient arm having'a downwardly directed stack holding terminal extending into the innermost cup of the stack and a cup separating wiper disposed beneath the terminal of the arm and provided with a rubbing element for separating the cup engaging the wiper from the stack and positioning it at one side of the stack with the opening uppermost, said rubbing element having a width less than the height of the side of a cup to avoid displacing more than one cup durin actuation of the wiper.

3. Packing apparatus for candy articles or the like having means for retaining a nested stack of flexible sided cups including a resilient arm having a downwardly directed stack holding terminal extending into the innermost cup of the stack, a flexible strip disposed beneath the terminal of the arm, and a rubbing element on the strip for wiping off one cup at a time when the strip is actuated.

4. Packing apparatus for candy articles or the like having means for retaining a nested stack of flexible sided cups including a resilient arm having a downwardly directed stack holding terminal extending into the innermost cup of the stack, a cup separating wiper disposed beneath the terminal of the arm and provided with a rubbing element for separating the cup engaging the wiper from the stack and positioning it at one side of the stack, and a resilient pad at the terminal of the arm for preventing displacement of the stack.

5. Packing apparatus for candy articles or the like having means for retaining a nested stack of flexible sided cups including an arm having a downwardly directed terminal, a cup separating wiper disposed beneath the terminal of the arm and provided with a rubbing element for separating'the cup engaging. the wiper from the stack and positioning it at one side of the stack, and yielding means for pressing the terminal of the arm against the wiper.

6. Packing apparatus for candy articles or the like having means for retaining a nested stack of flexible sided cups including an arm having a downwardly directed terminal, a, supporting strip disposed beneath the terminal of the arm, a rub: bing element on the strip for wiping o-fi one cup at a time, a treadle for actuating the strip in one direction, and yielding means for actuating it in the other direction to cause a cup to be wiped off the stack in both directions.

'7. Packing apparatus for candy articles or the like having means for retaining nested stacks of flexible sided cups including arms having downwardly directed terminals, a supporting strip disposed beneath said terminals, rubbing elements on the strip, and means for actuatin the strip to cause cups to be wiped ofi all the stacks.

8; Packing apparatus for candy articles or the like having means for retaining nested stacks of flexible sided cups including arms having downwardly directed terminals, a supporting strip disposed beneath said terrninals, rubbing elements on the strip, means for actuating the strip in one direction to cause cups to be wiped ofi all the stacks in said one direction, and other means for actuating the strip in the opposite direction to cause cups to be wiped off all the stacks in the said last mentioned direction.

9. Packing apparatus for use between a support for a supply of articles to be packed and a packing receiver comprising means for retaining nested stacks of flexible sided cups having, in combination, a resilient arm provided with a downwardly directed stack holding terminal extending into the innermost cup of a stack and a cup separating wiper disposed beneath the terminal of the arm having a rubbing element for separating one cup at a time from the stack and positioning it open side up at one side of the stack at a position convenient for insertion of articles being transferred manually from .the supply to the packing receiver.

10. Packing apparatus for use between a sup port for a supply of articles to be packed and a packing receiver comprising means for retaining nested stacks of flexible sided cups having, in combination, a resilient arm provided with a downwardly'directed stack holding terminal extending into the innermost cup of a stack and a cup separating wiper disposed beneath the terminal of the arm having a rubbing element for separating cups one at a time from the stack and positioning them open'side up at opposite sides of the stack in positions convenient for insertion of articles being transferred manually from the supply to the packing receiver.

11. Packing apparatus for use between a support for a plurality of spaced supplies of articles to be packed and packing receivers for the .arti-,

cles comprising means for retaining a plurality of nested stacks of flexible sided cups having, in combination, arms each formed with a stack holding terminal extending into the innermost cup of each stack, a single cup supporting wiper disposed beneath the terminals, and rubbing elements on the wiper for separating the cups from each stack supported by the Wiper, and positioning the separated cups successively open side up at positions on bothsides of the respective stacks convenient for simultaneous insertion of articles in the cups while being transferred manually from the supplies to the packing receivers.

HERBERT F. GOODWIN. 

